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Cirrus Des Aigles aims to get back to winning ways

THE FINAL Sunday of Deauville's summer meeting has a lot to live up to after the Group 1 fireworks produced by Moonlight Cloud, No Nay Never and Elusive Kate.

There is at least one genuine star on show, although Cirrus Des Aigles is unlikely to have things as easy as when scoring by 10 lengths in this race two seasons ago.

Having come up short in the Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud and the King George following a long layoff, Cirrus Des Aigles was then out-sprinted by Petit Chevalier in the Group 3 Prix Gontaut-Biron here two weeks ago.

But connections are confident a quick return to the fray is warranted.

"He's come on again and that's why we're running him again so soon," reflected Corine Barande-Barbe, who once again turns to Christophe Soumillon with Olivier Peslier claimed to ride Slow Pace. "His real weapon is that long acceleration and last time it turned into a bit of a sprint on quick ground. He's come out of it well although this is a different test with the three-year-olds getting a lot of weight."

Chief among the Classic-generation pretenders is Penglai Pavilion, yet another Andre Fabre inmate looking to force his way into the reckoning for late-season honours.

Tres Blue already has Group-winning form on this course from his success in the Prix Reux at the beginning of the month, a race in which the Lady Cecil-trained First Mohican finished third.

First Mohican's owner Henry Ponsonby said: "We were thrilled last time because it wasn't ideal having to make all, we just wanted to make sure he enjoyed himself. We'll do it again if there's no pace but ideally in this class of race you'd like a lead. Any additional rain would be welcome too."

Nicolas Clement's Melbourne Cup hopeful Now We Can and the ultra-consistent Haya Landa have both enjoyed fruitful campaigns but are returning after mid-season breaks.